The Year of the Book

#23 - Wifey

2010-04-28T21:30:00.001-04:00

Wifey
By: Judy Blume
304 pages
Published: 1978
ISBN: 0425206548
My Copy: Mooched via BookMooch

REVIEW COMING SOON!

It's Monday! What Am I Reading?

2010-04-12T12:30:00.001-04:00

Not much into reading the last few days. I've been so tired and I can't believe I still haven't finished some of these.

I'm currently working on:

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson

I'm listening to:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Last week, I only managed to finish:

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

I've got to make it a point to finish The Age of Innocence. I'm sick of seeing it on this list every week! I knew I made a mistake when I watched the movie version before I had finished the book. Now that I know how the story ends (tragically) I have almost no desire to finish the book.

Sigh. Better luck reading this week!

-- Lisa

#22 - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2010-04-09T22:55:00.003-04:00

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
By: J.K. Rowling
Narrated by: Jim Dale
672 pages (19 hours)
Published: 2005
ISBN: 0307283658
My Copy: Borrowed from library (I own the book)

REVIEW COMING SOON!

It's Monday! What Am I Reading!

2010-04-05T09:45:00.000-04:00

This week I am working on:

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

I am listening to:

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Since I last posted on a Monday, I've completed these books:

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Occasions by Kate Spade
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
Manners by Kate Spade

Also, I just found out we are going on vacation to Las Vegas and I'll need some good sunny vacation reads. Any suggestions?

Happy Reading!

#21 - Manners

2010-03-31T22:45:00.002-04:00

Manners
By: Kate Spade
96 pages
Published: 2004
ISBN: 0743250664
My Copy: Borrowed from library

REVIEW COMING SOON!

#20 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2010-03-31T12:15:00.003-04:00

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

By: J.K. Rowling
Narrated by: Jim Dale
896 pages (27 hours)
Published: 2003
ISBN: 0807220299
My Copy: Borrowed from library (I own the book)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was released on midnight on June 21, 2003 and I was there, standing in line at my local Borders, to get one of the first copies in line. I will always remember this book release because a) it was the first Potter-related midnight book release party I had been to and my best friend, Kristina, and I ended up waiting until after 1:30 AM to finally purchase our copies of the book, and b) it took place exactly one week before my wedding.

Committing yourself to reading an 896-page book the week you are getting married is a tall order, but I had absolutely decided that I would have finished by the time I walked down the aisle. I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate on my "I do's" if I was secretly trying to work out what was really contained in the Department of Mysteries and wondering what would happen during the climatic Voldemort vs. Dumbledore duel at the end.

The book is long, the longest of the series, but I still thought I could polish it off in a single day. Sadly, I was wrong, and it took me two or three days to finally have the whole thing completed (that did leave me more than enough time to get to the rehearsal dinner though). The same is true of listening to the book. It is 27 hours long! 27 hours! That's an entire day of listening and then some, so yeah, one day was not going to be enough.

The one good thing about the book coming out that week was that I was able to get several other copies to give to members of our bridal party as thank you gifts. Since no one in our circle of friends and family was as obsessed as me, I knew no one had started it yet!

One of the mistakes I made on my first reading was rushing through the story a little. After that, I learned to never rush another Potter novel, but to read carefully, soaking in all the details. After all, you only get one chance to read a book for the first time. When I finished the book, I remember being underwhelmed, and given its placement in the series, I can understand why I felt this. The story doesn't put forth any grand details, except that we learn that Harry is destined to kill Voldemort, or else be killed by him. It really isn't until the sixth and seventh book that we start to get the whole picture and understand how and why Harry must destroy Voldemort. But, of course, those seeds are planted here in this fifth story.

But, the book is a gem in its own right. Sure, Harry is moody, maybe a little bit too moody, but, after all that's happened, doesn't he have a right to be? I think Rowling really adeptly captures teenage angst and the first stirrings of love subplots in this volume. And, of course, the author gives us two uniquely wonderful female villains - Dolores Umbridge and Bellatrix Lestrange. A passive-aggressive, power hungry, government official - is there anything worse? And hateful, evil, sadistic Bellatrix is a force to be reckoned with (though, for the life of me, I can't understand why Jim Dale gives her a foreign accent? Shouldn't she be British?)

And then there is the death of Sirius, who Harry was beginning to regard as kind of a surrogate father, all at the same time that he is discovering that his own father was not all he thought him to be. Rowling could have easily left James and Lily Potter and perfect beacons of goodness, who sacrificed themselves to save their only son, but she is brave enough to give them flaws. Even Sirius, who has suffered so horribly and unjustly, can be, at times, an unsuitable guardian and role model. We're left to wonder if maybe Harry isn't better off without his influence after all.

As far as the movies go, Order of the Phoenix is easily my favorite. I think the filmmakers managed to perfectly capture the spirit of the book, while also significantly compressing the action (Phoenix is the longest volume in the series, but the shortest movie to date). Does that mean Order of the Phoenix itself could've stood a little editing? Perhaps, but in the end, I'm glad it didn't get any. The more Harry the better, as far as I'm concerned.

Overall, an excellent book, a great step in the series, full of excellent details adding to the overall story.

Rating: A

#19 - Occasions

2010-03-23T12:45:00.004-04:00

Occasions

By: Kate Spade

112 pages
Published: 2004
ISBN: 0743250656

My Copy: Received as a Christmas present

I am obsessed with books on etiquette and entertaining. It's kind of weird, but there is something about politeness and welcoming others into my home that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I love having parties and I love coming up with new and creative ways hosting great gatherings. So, as you can imagine, I've read quite a few books on entertaining. My measure of a good hostessing book is one that leaves me with lots of new ideas and has me itching to get started on my next get-together.

Occasions is just that kind of book. Some of the advice is a little upscale for my guests' tastes (I only recently hosted a dinner party where I used place cards and, though it went over well, I felt extremely hoity doing so), but the tone of the book is one of warmth and consideration, guiding the hostess to do all she can to make sure her guests have an enjoyable time.

There is a significant section on alcohol and mixed drinks, which I think might be helpful in the future if I ever do anything like a cocktail party (we typically only serve beers and wine, but I'd like to branch out a little). The book also contains a lot of fun little tips for decorations and gifts. There was one moment while reading that made me very proud of myself - when Kate mentioned keeping a diary of all your parties and going over it to review what is needed for next time. I already do that! Yes, I keep a very detailed hostess diary with records of every gathering I have in my house. It's an great little book and it really has come in useful. For example, I host our book club in my home every month and only have to look back on the previous month's entry to see what drinks or foods were a hit so I can make sure I am preparing snacks my guests will enjoy.

Compared to the previous Kate Spade effort that I undertook, Style, this book is a much more useful resource, one I am glad I have on hand to browse through before any future parties. The layout of the book makes it easy to read and the hand drawn illustrations are extremely helpful. It's not perfect or comprehensive by any means, but it does have loads of helpful tips and hints inside.

Rating: B+

#18 - We Have Always Lived in the Castle

2010-03-22T14:10:00.018-04:00

We Have Always Lived in the Castle
By: Shirley Jackson
160 pages
Published: 1962
ISBN: 0143039970
My Copy: Borrowed from library

I was in my local bookstore a few weeks ago and saw this book in with other classics of literature which had just received spiffy new covers from Penguin Books. Though I had heard of all the others (Little Women, Moby Dick, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, etc.) neither the title of this book or its author was familiar to me. It was thin (which I like), by a female author (which I like), and available (also good), so, I trotted over to the library and picked up a copy.

Wow, am I ever glad that Penguin re-did these covers, because We Have Always Lived in the Castle is incredible. I love picking up a book and having no expectations about it, so I won't ruin it for you by going into the plot at all. I will just say that Shirley Jackson is an amazing writer and the story is intense and unexpected and wonderful.

After I finished this book, I hurried out and got The Haunting of Hill House, Life Among the Savages, and The Lottery and Other Stories. I quickly read her most famous short story, The Lottery, and it was amazing (I can't believe I had never read it before). If you haven't read it you should drop everything and do it now (it's pretty short, so it won't take long). That ending is still haunting me.

Her books and stories just have such a unique sensibility. I'd call it horror or Gothic, but it's not really. Her tone is very grounded, but the events she describes are out of the ordinary. As with The Lottery, one of her main strengths as a writer is her ability to just tell you what is happening without a lot of explanation about the motives and reasoning of the characters. It's amazing. In my wildest dreams, I would write half as well as she does.

If you haven't read any Shirley Jackson yet, rush out and do so. Her work is short, gripping, and will stay with you long afterwards. Look for more reviews of her work to come.

Rating: A-

It's Monday! What Am I Reading?

2010-03-22T12:15:00.002-04:00

Haven't done this in a few weeks, but here it is for today.

I'm actively working on:

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

I'm listening to:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Since I last posted, I finished:

Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Everything Matters! by Ron Currie Jr.
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Happy Reading!

#17 - Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict

2010-03-21T21:45:00.003-04:00

Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict
By: Laurie Viera Rigler
304 pages
Published: 2009
ISBN: 0525950761
My Copy: Borrowed from library

A few months ago I picked up this author's first Austen-inspired book, Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, when I kept seeing it pop up in my usual Jane Austen related searches on BookMooch. Surprisingly, which is odd for me since I tend to hate Austen fan fiction and tie-ins, I liked it. So, when I saw Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict sitting on the shelf during a visit to my local library I wondered if it would be as enjoyable as the first one.

Fellow readers, it was not. Being essentially the reverse of the story in Confessions -- a girl from Regency England gets magically transplanted into the body of a woman from 21st century Los Angeles -- I found it a rather boring read compared to its sister novel. Part of the problem was that the story does not have the same charm from the girl-from-the-past-time-warps-to-present-day angle. In Confessions, it was interesting for us to experience Regency life through the eyes of Courtney, the 21st century Jane Austen addict because we, as the reader, essentially are her -- lovers of Jane Austen finding ourselves in a unfamiliar time and place. But the reverse is just not as endearing or exciting. I cared little about Jane Mansfield's inability to work a computer or drive a car or about the fact that she had no clue what a cell phone was and had no idea Pride and Prejudice had been made into the greatest television mini-series of all time. Another weakness of the story was that it involved the same characters as in Confessions, so I knew exactly how the story was going to end because I had already been told in the previous book. This barely works in the newer Star Wars movies, and it certainly does not make me want to keep reading a book that was already boring me a bit.

That said, it's clear to me that the author is a true Austen devotee and that she put a lot of research into learning the customs, traditions, and values of 19th century English life. Her first effort really is an excellent one and I did enjoy it, but this follow up is definitely worth skipping. If it hadn't help to fill out my Jane Austen Reading Challenge, I wouldn't even have bothered to finish it.

Rating: D

#16 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

2010-03-12T12:45:00.004-05:00

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
By: J.K. Rowling
Narrated by: Jim Dale
734 pages (21 hours)
Published: 2000
ISBN: 0807282596
My Copy: Borrowed from library (I own the book)

When I first began the Harry Potter series, it was on the recommendation of my best friend, Kristina. She and I were hanging out at the library one day (we were doing some research for a college class we were both in), and she suggested I try reading Harry Potter, a series I'd heard of, but hadn't had much interest in exploring.

"Aren't those kids book?" I scoffed. "Yes," she said, "but you'll love them!" And, fellow readers, was she ever right.

I read straight through Philosopher's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, and Prisoner of Azkaban, before settling in to read what was the largest volume of the series at the time, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Of course, I adored the first three books in the series, but Goblet of Fire is what really got me hooked. I talked before about how desperately I love "hinge novels," and Goblet of Fire is one of my favorites. The world becomes so much bigger, the story so much more political, the evil so much more dangerous and present.

It's no accident that the story begins with Harry travelling to the Quidditch World Cup and learning about wizards and witches from around the world and then, later, the Triwizard Tournament brings those very same people to his door. Harry's world is expanding and, as everything gets bigger, we see that danger looms from everywhere. Rowling sets the stage for the rest of the series by resurrecting Voldemort at the of Goblet. Evil is no longer hiding in the shadows and scattered in the outskirts, it is alive and poses a clear and present danger to our hero and, indeed, the world at large. The actions of the entire series seem to hinge on that scene in the graveyard and now everything can be said to be either before Voldemort was back or after he came back. The series also gets serious, killing off a main character at the end. The first death for us in a long line to follow.

The political message of the story also becomes crystal clear in this volume. Hermione's new found interest in the plight of house elves. Prejudice in the magical world. Themes we have touched upon in other stories, but which are placed front and center here. As Harry learns about the intolerance in his world, we learn as well and become just as resolved as our hero to fight these injustices.

When I had the honor of meeting J.K. Rowling in 2007, I wore my S.P.E.W. shirt because, for me, S.P.E.W. embodies everything I love about the series. It conveys the author's fervent desire for us to see inequality in the world and to do something about it, with her acute sense of humor. House elves, after all, do not very much want to be free, but that doesn't stop Hermione from doing her best to convince them of it. It's fitting that Ron and Hermione's first kiss should take place in book seven when he finally expresses his support for her efforts to overturn the injustice of house elf enslavement.

Speaking of S.P.E.W, I do sorely miss having it in the movie version. In fact, though Goblet of Fire is one of my favorite of the series, the movie version is easily my least favorite of the adaptations. I think there was just too much to include and it just wasn't done well enough. That and Ron and Harry's hair is just too scruffy. Maybe they should have started breaking the movies into two at this point (no, I'm actually glad they didn't... too many movies to see!).

The first time I finished Goblet of Fire, I realized that I would have to wait until who-knew-when to read the next chapter in the series. At the time, J.K. Rowling was still hard at work on the not-yet-titled Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and she had simply left me and the rest of the world to wait with baited breath to see where her story would go from here.

After all is said and done, it was certainly worth the wait.

Rating: A+

#15 - Everything Matters!

2010-03-08T22:30:00.003-05:00

Everything Matters!
By: Ron Currie Jr.
320 pages
Published: 2009
ISBN: 0670020923
My Copy: Borrowed from library

This book was the second volume on our book club reading list this year. My awesome friend, Maggie, chose it and I ended up having mixed feelings about it.

The conceit of the book is very interesting. The main character, Junior, learns the specific time and date when the world will end and then has to live his entire life with this information hanging over his head. So the question becomes, if you know the world will be obliterated during your lifetime, does anything you do really matter?

The book really is not a pleasant read (spoiler alert!). I found myself skimming almost everything but the end section because it was just so darn depressing. Though brilliant, Junior essentially finds himself in a downward spiral as he makes it his mission to save the inhabitants of the planet Earth from destruction. In the end, he is given the chance to do his life over and his chooses to simply live rather than devote his life to saving others. It is in accepting his fate that he discovers that all his actions truly do matter.

The last 50 pages of the book are incredible, cleverly driving home the author's entire point that our actions and lives do matter here and now. I was really hating the book up until the end, when it completely redeemed itself for me. Yet another reason to keep on reading until the end. If I hadn't had to discuss this for my book club the following week, I wouldn't have bothered to keep going with it after the first 50 pages!

Overall, a good ending with the bulk of the book being slow, boring, and essentially a downer. A interesting choice for a book club. We had a really good discussion around the themes of the story. The book as a whole is worth the effort.

Rating: B-

Hogwarts Reading Challenge

2010-03-08T12:45:00.006-05:00

Since I'm flying through my Harry Potter books, I decided to sign up for this challenge too because it looked so darn awesome!

Hogwarts Reading Challenge - March 8 2010 to December 13 2010

In the Hogwarts Reading Challenge you are a student of the school. You will be sorted into houses. Each book you read must fit in to the subject of one the classes. You do not have to read books that fit all the subjects. Each book equals one point (toward the house cup).

You must read at least 5 books (audio books counts) before you are enter in to the drawing. At the end of the Challenge one person will win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and one house will win the House Cup (purely a pride thing).

First, I got sorted...

Ravenclaw! Very good!

Here's the list of books I've read for my "classes"...

Harry Potter books - worth 25 points

* Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling - 25 points
* Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling - 25 points

Transfiguration - read any book that has trans or figure in its title, is about shape shifting, has a shape shifter in it, or is about anything having to do with changing one thing into another

Defence Against the Dark Arts - read any book that has defence(defense), dark and/or art(s) in its title, read any book that is about self defense, war, history of war/marital arts, murder mysteries

Charms - read any book that has charm in its title, any book that deals with gives something or someone a new aspect (for example the nerdy guy become a handsome doctor)

* Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler - 1 point

Potions - read any book that has potion in its title, cookbooks count but you must cook at least one recipe out of the book

Astronomy - read any book that has astronomy in its title, books about planets, stars, etc, sci-fi

History of Magic - read any book that has history or magic in its title, books about magic, witches, etc

Herbology - read any book that has herb in its title, again cookbooks count and again you must cook at least one recipe out of the book

Arithmancy - read any book that has arithmancy in its title, any book with a number in its title, any book that deal with numbers or math

Ancient Runes - read any book that has ancient or runes in its title, books about historical places like the pyramids, Stonehenge, great wall of china, or any book about symbols

Divination - read any book that has divine in its title, any book about psychics or psychic abilities, tarot reading etc

Care of Magical Creatures - read any book that has magical or creatures in its title, about supernatural beings

Muggle Studies - nearly any book works here, what better why to understand Muggle than to read what they read

* Occasions by Kate Spade - 1 point
* We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson - 1 point
* Everything Matters! by Ron Currie Jr. - 1 point

Should be fun!

#14 - City of Glass

2010-03-07T23:45:00.003-05:00

City of Glass
By: Cassandra Clare
560 pages
Published: 2009
ISBN: 1416914307
My Copy: Bought it at Target

After finishing the first book in The Mortal Instruments series, I quickly put the other two on order from the library. When I finished City of Ashes and saw that I was still several deep in the waiting list for City of Glass, I broke down and bought the book from Target.

And I was not disappointed. I read feverishly through the first two-thirds of the books waiting for (spoiler alert!) the one thing I really, very badly wanted to happen -- for the author to finally un-brother-and-sister Jace and Clary. After the second book, you know it has to be coming soon. She simply can't leave their relationship as it is and give the reader any kind of satisfaction with the ending to the story. She didn't disappoint me! I thought it was well handled (and it explained why Jocelyn had to remain out of the picture for all of book two).

Overall, I thought it was a great series. Very well done. I'd certainly recommend it to lovers of fantasy or even fans of Harry Potter since Cassandra Clare started out writing Harry Potter fan fiction (very interesting!).

Rating: B
Series Rating: B+

#13 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

2010-03-02T12:00:00.003-05:00

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
By: J.K. Rowling
Narrated by Jim Dale
435 pages (12 hours)
Published: 1999
ISBN: 0807282324
My Copy: Borrowed from library (I own the book, though)

Prisoner of Azkaban is one of my favorite Harry Potter novels. It's refreshing to breeze through it after plodding along during Chamber of Secrets. There's just so much to love about it.

Jane Austen isn't one of J.K. Rowling's favorite authors for no reason. She has the same incredible ability to misdirect the reader and make us feel exactly the opposite of what the truth is (think Elizabeth and Darcy as Harry and Sirius). This book also starts feeding us information about Harry's parents, which we glory in along with Harry. And since I've seen parallels between all the other books, I imagine that this one ties pretty closely to Order of the Phoenix. Harry begins his relationship with Sirius here, and ends it in Order of the Phoenix. Harry believes he will be expelled for the use of underage magic in the beginning, and in Phoenix, he almost is expelled for just that. Professors Trelawney's prophecies feature in both. Also, Harry learns information about his father that makes him proud and happy in Azkaban, but in book five, he starts to see a different, more complete version of his father emerge.

I think the scene in the Shrieking Shack is one of my favorites of the whole series. I included a (somewhat poor quality) clip from the film adaptation. The movie does a nice job of condensing it. Plus, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, David Thewlis, and Timothy Spall are brilliant. You can tell even the three kids up their game a bit around them. Swoon...

Rating: A+

It's Monday! What Am I Reading?

2010-03-01T12:45:00.001-05:00

Right now I appear to be on a Jane Austen kick:

Jane Austen, Selected Letters
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
Jane Austen's Charlotte by Julia Barrett
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
Everything Matters! by Ron Currie Jr.

I'm listening to:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Last week I finished:

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

PS - Villette was lost in the mail, so I've had to order a new copy. The one downfall of swapping books online!

#12 - City of Ashes

2010-02-27T22:30:00.002-05:00

City of Ashes
By: Cassandra Clare
464 pages
Published: 2008
ISBN: 1416914293
My Copy: Borrowed from library

The middle book or film in any series is really important to me. In my mind, I call these works "hinges" because they should connect the previous works with those to come, but also include some new elements to entice us to move forward.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has a warm place in my heart because of this. The story connects itself to the past, but also changes to move it into the future. The Empire Strikes Back is my favorite Star Wars movie. The Two Towers is my favorite Lord of the Rings film.

A bad hinge story can bore us. If the tale simply rehashes what we already knew and leaves to many plot points hanging, then it has wasted our time.

City of Ashes isn't a bad hinge... but it's not a great one. It elaborated on some of the mysteries of the first book, but you can tell it's left all the good stuff until the end. It was a bit more of an effort to finish it off than with the previous installment. The one big accomplishment of the book was Cassandra Clare's stunning ability to make me not creeped out by the fact that a brother and sister are looking to get it on for half the book. Hell, I even wanted them to just do it already and I know that's weird. So, kudos to her. A lot of careful writing and character development has lead us to a place where we identify with and understand the feelings of Jace and Clary.

Now that I'm done with this one, I'm looking forward to City of Glass. I even went and bought it while I was out this weekend instead of waiting to get it from the library. So, yes, City of Ashes made me want to keep reading, but not much else.

Rating: B

I'm Not Proud to Have Read...

2010-02-26T12:30:00.001-05:00

I saw this topic on Home Girl's Book Blog and could not resist. "Write a blog post wherein you 'fess up to reading a book that didn't make you proud."

Okay, the book I'm picking is one I recently read -- Stargazer by Claudia Gray. The reason I singled out this particular book is because it is at the end of a long line of shameful book choices and by the time I got to this place, there is no reason I should have picked it up and read it at all, let alone read it cover to cover in two days, being very entertained while doing so.

I decided to read the Twilight series the Christmas before last when I heard the first book was something like my favorite book of all time, Pride and Prejudice (speaking of a bastardization of great literature). And friends, I loved it. Shamefully, I ate through all four books in a week and by the time I finished, my head was spinning with dreamy visions of Edward Cullen. I breathlessly told my husband the plot of all the books and talked about them nonstop for days after finishing. I even hummed little songs about becoming a vampire. It was getting weird.

So, having read Twilight and having vampire-romance withdrawal, I promptly went to the bookstore and asked if they had anything like Twilight. After much prodding, one of the clerks recommended Evernight by Claudia Gray. "It's about a vampire boarding school," she said and I snapped it up right then and there.

And I read it straight through. It was no Twilight, but it did indeed have vampires and did indeed have romance so I was happy for a moment.

But the more I thought about Twilight and Evernight, the more I realized these were really horrible books. Engrossing though it was Twilight had so many flaws and annoying, silly characters, that there was no way I could actually like it. In fact, I had to hate it, right?

So, I thought to myself, there is no reason I should bother to read anymore of the new Twilight-spin-off vampire fiction out there. Evernight was a momentary lapse in judgment. I'm done with bad books like this.

Then, why oh why, when I was browsing for something to read at the library two weeks ago, did I pick up Stargazer, the sequel to Evernight?

Because I couldn't help myself. Because vampire romance is kind of cool. Because I really do love corny YA books. Because it was a quick and easy read.

And you know the sad part. I'm probably going to read the next book in the series, Hourglass, when it comes out next month. And I requested Evermore from the library yesterday.

Oh, the shame. The horrible shame. Yes, I read bad vampire romances. And I kind of like them.

#11 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

2010-02-26T11:45:00.004-05:00

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
By: J.K. Rowling
Narrated by: Jim Dale
352 pages (9 hours)
Published: 1999
ISBN: 0807281948
My copy: Borrowed from library (own the book, of course)

Of all the Harry Potter books, I'd have to say Chamber of Secrets is possibly my least favorite. The bit about the flying car is just not that exciting and it just drags in some places (even though those sections do add to the story). I was also rather annoyed by the fact that everyone seems to think they are about to get expelled at every turn. Harry and Ron are constantly ready to pack their bags and Ginny is terrified to tell what she knows about the Chamber of Secrets because she could be kicked out of school. Has anyone, except Hagrid, ever been kicked out of Hogwarts? And that was only because they thought Hagrid had killed someone. So it seems like the standard for expulsion is a little higher than the kids are making it out to be.

That said, the end is rather good and makes a lot more sense in light of the information we find out in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. J.K. Rowling said in an interview somewhere that she had originally intended to explain more about horcruxes in the second book, but, in the end, decided to save it all for the sixth book. I think I wish she had a put a little more into Chamber of Secrets, so everything revealed in Half-Blood Prince didn't seem like a big, too-late-to-introduce-this surprise.

But, I like that those two books parallel each other (just as, in my mind, the first and seventh book do). In Chamber, we meet the young Voldemort and in Half-Blood Prince, we learn more about his family background and his life among muggles. Harry also begins to wonder about the similarities between himself and Voldemort in CoS and then again in HBP. The second book also sets up the relationship between Harry and Ginny, which culminates in their kiss in the sixth book. Even the two new teachers from these books, Gilderoy Lockhart (who is a brilliant creation, by the way) and Horace Slughorn resemble each other in that both use the accomplishments of others to bolster their own importance.

All in all, a great book, though still my least favorite in an excellent series.

Rating: A-

#10 - City of Bones

2010-02-22T22:30:00.000-05:00

City of Bones
By: Cassandra Clare
512 pages
Published: 2008
ISBN: 1416955070
My Copy: Borrowed from library

This book was recommended to me by my friend, Cassie, and I have already thanked her because I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also promptly ordered the next two books in the series because it was that good.

Part of it might be that, when it comes to fantasy, I find I like the work of female authors better. Does that sound strange? Well, it's true. For some reason The Lord of the Rings bored me. The one Xanth book I read was okay. But, I consistently enjoy fantasy series written by women. Harry Potter. Twilight (yeah, I know, sorry). Inkworld. And now I think I love The Mortal Instruments series. I will have to get myself some Ursula Le Guin and Octavia Butler when I'm done to fill the void.

City of Bones tells the story of Clary Fray as she delves into the world of Shawdowhunters and learns about her own mysterious family connections. Though the book is over 500 pages, it was a very quick read and I was intensely interested the entire time. Most of the characters are very well done. Jace and Clary were very cute together (though the witty banter between them seemed a little odd in the beginning, it grew on me by the end of the story). Alec and Isabelle could have used a little more back story to make us more invested in their fate (but maybe that is to come in future books). The actions scenes are well done and suspenseful and the twists and turns the book took were surprising and satisfying. I, for example, did not see the end coming at all. Other readers assure me there's more surprises to come, so I'm looking forward to it.

Rating: B+

It's Monday! What Am I Reading?

2010-02-22T21:30:00.003-05:00

Right now I'm working on:

Jane Austen, Selected Letters
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

I'm listening to:

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

And, because we're reading it for book club in the next few weeks, I'll also need to get cracking on:

Everything Matters! by Ron Currie Jr.

Last week I finished:

Stargazer by Claudia Gray
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It by Adam Selzer
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

It was a good reading week! Hope this week will be just as fun!

PS - I am also anxiously awaiting the arrival of City of Ashes and City of Glass from the library and Villette (still) from PaperBackSwap, so hopefully those will be on next week's list!

#9 - I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It

2010-02-17T20:30:00.006-05:00

I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It
By: Adam Selzer
192 pages
Published: 2010
ISBN: 0385735030
My copy: Borrowed from library

This book was more fun than it had an right to be. I started out a bit annoyed at the main character and her friends (they have that we-are-so-real vibe which can get kind of grating), but she grew on me throughout the book as she grows and changes in her relationship with Doug. The whole thing is kind of like a funny anti-Twilight piece. When Alley learns that Doug is a zombie she decides whether or not she wants to "convert." So she ventures down to her guidance councillor's office to pick up an informative pamphlet called Vampires, Zombies & You: Questions and Answers About Post-Humans for Teens. There are a lot of funny moments like that and I found the whole twist on the I-met-a-dead-guy-and-I-love-him-so-much story to be kind of adorable.

So, yeah, it's cheesy and kind of silly, but in a good way. Plus, I think the message is a little more healthy for teen girls obsessed with Twilight.

Rating: B

PS - Here's the book trailer (very cute):

#8 - Stargazer

2010-02-15T21:45:00.005-05:00

Stargazer
By: Claudia Gray
352 pages
Published: 2010
ISBN: 0061284467
My Copy: Borrowed from library

This Evernight series really isn't that good. I only got it out from the library because I had read the first one and was looking for some YA books to read. The story is so-so, but at least it holds your attention (which is more than can be said for most books). It's got that Twilight vibe going on, but it just doesn't have the same sizzle. I pretty much think the main characters should not be together at all (and that's not a good sign, is it).

I believe this is the second in a four book series. I might move onto the other two (when they come out) if I'm bored enough. Otherwise, there must be better vampire fiction out there to read.

Rating: C-

#7 - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

2010-02-15T17:30:00.003-05:00

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
By: J.K. Rowling
Narrated by: Jim Dale
309 pages (9 hours)
Published: 1997
ISBN: 0807281956
My copy: Borrowed from library (own the book, of course)

What can I say about this book that hasn't already been said? I must have read the first volume in the Harry Potter series three or four times now, but it just keeps getting better every time I pick it up.

When I decided to re-read all the Harry Potter books this year as part of the Harry Potter Reading Challenge I thought it might be fun to hear all of them on audiobook. I was right. And I'd highly recommend it for anyone embarking on the books again. Jim Dale is perfect. I can't believe the number of voices he can keep straight in his head. I also tend to absorb a lot more detail when listening, whereas, when reading, I might be tempted to skip over a rather long descriptive passage. Audiobook is definitely a new and interesting way to experience the books.

Rowling is a masterful writer. Having read the entire series, I can't help but appreciate all the little details she throws in that come into play in later books, especially the last book in the series. Wandlore. The invisibility cloak. Gringott's. All tiny details that play a small part in forming not just an incredible first novel, but a truly magical series of stories.

If you haven't read these books yet, I feel sorry for you.

Rating: A+

It's What-Am-I-Reading Monday!

2010-02-15T16:45:00.004-05:00

I am still working on Jane Austen, Selected Letters.

I started Stargazer by Claudia Gray.

I'm listening to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

I think I am giving Watership Down a rest.

And I'm still waiting for Villette to arrive in the mail!

Happy Reading to me!

Bookish Movies

2010-02-13T18:30:00.003-05:00

This week, I watched several movies which were adaptions of books I have read (maybe that explains why I've been behind on my reading). They were varying degrees of good and since I love comparing and contemplating these things, I thought I'd summarize them here.

Masterpiece Theater just finished airing its new adaption of Jane Austen's Emma here in the U.S. and, while I did enjoy it, the four-hour long program wasn't without its faults. Romola Garai is a cute Emma, but comes off as a bit too whiny and spoiled for my taste. Of course, I might just be biased, since my favorite portrayal of Emma is Alicia Silverstone's in Clueless. Maybe Jane Austen is right that Emma is "a heroine whom no-one but [the author] will much like." Maybe that's the problem and maybe it is simply a very difficult thing to pull off one screen. Still it's Austen, which always brings me joy. Rating: B

This book was good, but the movie was just confusing. I think they retained some of the themes, but in the end it just seems more preachy and simplistic than the very well done novel. As beautiful as the scenes of Susie in the "in between" were, they just don't fit with the tone of the book as I imagined it. While the novel made me want to keep reading, the movie almost bored me to sleep. That said, Stanley Tucci was very good and very terrifying as Mr. Harvey. He deserved that Oscar nomination. Rating: C-

I remember seeing this back when it first came out (I must have been like 13 or so) and liking it. Even after recently reading the book, which I loved, I still enjoyed the movie even though Coppola has changed a lot of the characters' back stories. Dare I say that I loved the increased sexiness (which is lying beneath of the surface of the text the whole time). Also, the love story between Mina and Dracula might be an improvement over the novel, if only because it explains why Dracula might have wanted to go to London in the first place and why he sought out Lucy and Mina. Of course, the whole Mina loving Dracula back thing wanders a little too far from the original Stoker. Our pure, Victorian heroine would have never intentionally helped such a vial fiend! The end was a bit confusing, too. Mina forsakes Johnathan for Dracula? And what does she do after he dies? Waste away in Castle Dracula? Weird. Good movie though. Visually stunning with lots of interesting twists and updates on its source material. Rating: B

This re-aired on Sunday night, so, of course, I watched it yet again (I own it on DVD, too). Here, I think the actress who plays our heroine does an excellent job of portraying someone who might come off as a bit stupid, but makes her seem endearing and deserving of the knowledgeable, sophisticated hero. Since there are only two films adaptations of this book and the other is an abomination, I am inclined to love this one for the simple fact that it is not horrible. But, in the capable hands of Andrew Davies, the screenplay sticks more closely to the tone and message of the book. Plus, Northanger Abbey is my second favorite Austen novel and Catherine is probably the heroine who most resembles myself (in my younger years, of course. I've become a bit more like Elizabeth Bennett or Elinor Dashwood in my old age), so I have to love this film version. Rating: A

Very funny. Very British. The opening number "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish" is to die for. I kind of liked that it was different than the book and had a more "movie-ish" vibe. The casting is great. However, I'm not a huge Hitchhiker's fan, so I can't gush over this one too much. Rating: B+

#6 - Dracula

2010-02-08T16:45:00.003-05:00

Dracula
By: Bram Stoker
448 pages
Published: 1897
ISBN: 159308160X
My Copy: A Christmas gift from a few years back

A bestseller in its day, Dracula tells the story of a group of Englishmen who attempt to stop the bloodthirsty Count as he stalks and attacks his victims throughout London. Most everyone probably knows the plot of Dracula. Certainly I did. But that did not make reading it one bit less enjoyable. In fact, the book is really good. Really, really good. I got through it in about two days (which is saying a lot for me lately).

I can easily see why Dracula was as popular as it was in Victorian England. The suspense and horror are so perfectly done, the terrifying scenes are beautifully set, and the love stories are moving. It is especially important to note that much of the now-corny vampire lore created by Stoker (vampires as bats, aversion to garlic and crosses, stakes through the heart, castles in Transylvania), was new to the reader at the time. Dracula certainly owes a debt to Carmilla and The Vampyre, but all vampire fiction, right up through Twilight owes its entire existence to Dracula.

Speaking of Twilight, people tend to criticize the fact that Bella Swan has so many men fawning all over her (a valid criticism, I would say). But look at Lucy Westenra, who has not just two, but three men falling all over themselves, proposing marriage to her, and offering to die for her. Not to mention that she is hunted by the evil Count Dracula so that he might turn her into one of his beautiful undead companions. Take that, Bella!

The form of the novel is also slightly different. It is told in the epistolary form and is woven together with mastery. The various letters, journal entries, and newspaper clippings collected in the novel serve their purpose - to provide us with a pieced together narrative that allows us to solve the mystery of Dracula along with its characters. I find that I often have trouble with epistolary novels, but this one seemed to fit the form perfectly (though I did feel badly that everyone had to keep taking notes after witnessing such horrifying events, especially towards the end). It reminded me of the format of Carrie, which took the form of newspaper clippings, magazine articles, letters, and excerpts from books to piece together the events leading up to the novel's climax.

The tone of the novel also helped me understand Jane Austen a bit better (though, of course, she died 80 years before it was published). Many of the Gothic conventions she mocks in Northanger Abbey are alive and well in Dracula (one example: the instant friendships formed between any previously unacquainted main characters reminded me of Isabella Thorpe's hastily formed best-friendship with Catherine Moreland). Oh, and the swooning, the crying, the fainting fits - it seemed like something Maryanne Dashwood would positively adore.

But I adore it, too! And sensible as Jane Austen was, she loved these types of books as well (though she realized them for the escape and fantasy that they were). I think, like Jane, I just love 16th and 17th century Gothic fiction. I don't think there's any other answer. That and this book was awesome. I would heartily recommend it to any fan of horror or vampire fiction or just anyone who loves a good, spooky read.

Rating: B+

#5 - The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

2010-02-08T08:00:00.003-05:00

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
By: Douglas Adams
256 pages
Published: 1980
ISBN: 0345418921
My copy: Mooched via BookMooch

Part of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe details the further adventures of Zaphod, Trillian, Arthur and Ford as they stumble about the universe. Here's the official product description (which probably won't make any sense if you haven't read the first book):

Facing annihilation at the hands of the warlike Vogons? Time for a cup of tea! Join the cosmically displaced Arthur Dent and his uncommon comrades in arms in their desperate search for a place to eat, as they hurtle across space powered by pure improbability. Among Arthur’s motley shipmates are Ford Prefect, a long-time friend and expert contributor to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; Zaphod Beeblebrox, the three-armed, two-headed ex-president of the galaxy; Tricia McMillan, a fellow Earth refugee who’s gone native (her name is Trillian now); and Marvin, the moody android. Their destination? The ultimate hot spot for an evening of apocalyptic entertainment and fine dining, where the food speaks for itself (literally). Will they make it? The answer: hard to say. But bear in mind that The Hitchhiker’s Guide deleted the term “Future Perfect” from its pages, since it was discovered not to be!

I really liked the first Hitchhiker's book as the plot was more fast-paced, funny, and interesting. This one is certainly has a lot of twists and turns, and is pretty much hilarious, but it didn't hold my attention like the first book did (sorry, Hitchhiker's devotes). I suppose the trilogy (which consists of five books) has to be taken as whole along with the radio broadcasts and television show and movie. You can't really separate out one of the books and review it individually. But that's what I'm doing anyway.

All in all, I'd recommend the series as it is very funny and Douglas Adam is a masterful satirist. I just had to plod through this one a bit.

My Rating: B-
Overall Series Rating: B+

It's Monday? What Am I Reading?

2010-02-08T07:30:00.001-05:00

Last week I finished:

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
Dracula by Bram Stoker (oh, nearly done... only 50 pages left)

I am still working on:

Jane Austen, Selected Letters by R.W. Chapman (editor)
Watership Down by Richard Adams

And, as soon as I get it from PaperBackSwap I am hoping to add:

Villette by Charlotte Brontë

So, there you have it!

Typically British Reading Challenge 2010

2010-02-02T16:45:00.008-05:00

Okay, one more...

Timeline: 1st Jan 2010 - 31st Dec 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.

Details:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

2. There are four levels:
* "Put The Kettle On" – Read 2 Typically British novels.
* "Gordon Bennett" – Read 4 Typically British novels.
* "Bob's Your Uncle" – Read 6 Typically British novels.
* "Cream Crackered" – Read 8 Typically British novels.

3. Any book format counts. Must be fiction not non-fiction.

4. You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront then you can change them, nothing is set in stone!

5. The books you choose can crossover into other challenges.

6. Obviously only British authors count!

I think I'll try for 8 since I tend to read a fair amount of British lit. Plus, I need to find out what Cream Crackered means! Here they are:

1. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
7.
8.

Our Mutual Read Challenge

2010-02-02T16:30:00.006-05:00

Maybe since I'm behind on book reading, I should stop posting challenges. Nah!

This one is from The Blog Jar and it's called Our Mutual Read. Basically, it involves Victorian and Neo-Victorian literture. Yay! I think I'm going to be reading at Level 1 (4 books, at least 2 written during 1837 - 1901. The other books may be Neo-Victorian or non-fiction.). Then, because I love movies, I'll probably take on the period film mini challenge which is to watch at least 6 films that take place between 1837 - 1901 (they don't necessarily have to be based on a book) and post a review.

Great idea! I'm excited to get started!

1. Dracula by Bram Stoker
2. Villette by Charlotte Brontë
3.
4.

What Am I Reading?

2010-02-01T12:30:00.002-05:00

Okay, so January started out kind of slow. I only read 4 books, so I’ll have to catch up in February by reading 12! (I can do it!)

Right, here’s what I’m reading:

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
Jane Austen, Selected Letters by R.W. Chapman (editor)
Watership Down by Richard Adams

I’m also considering adding The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger in honor of Mr. Salinger’s death.

Good luck, me!

In Honor of J.D. Salinger

2010-01-30T16:15:00.004-05:00

The one and only time I read The Catcher in the Rye was in high school. I was in Mr. Walchanowicz's sophomore English class. The 15 or so of us in that class were the only ones in the school who got to read it. The rest of the 10th grade had some other teacher. Mrs. Whoever – I don't remember her name. But her reading list was awful. That class spent time slowly reading Julius Caeser aloud in class while we were mulling over The Crucible and Antigone and Catcher. Being randomly selected for Mr. Walchanowicz's class was one of the luckiest things that happened to me that year.

I won't say I was some disillusioned, disaffected adolescent for whom The Catcher in the Rye was some kind godsend. I personally didn't get Catcher. I still don't really, though I realize it is brilliant and different and new, even by today's standards. It just didn't resonate with me, even though I had seen enough of the world to know that most people were horrible phonies and that adults never knew what was really going on. I guess I was a happy child, even a happy high schooler, if there is such a thing. So it didn't make sense to me that Holden Caulfield was so angry about everything, about the state of the world. I was angry too, but I wasn't going to fall to pieces about it. Now, as an adult, I see that that is just the way of some people.

I didn't love Catcher, but I loved getting to read it. I was told that the book was the second most taught in high schools around America, and so I wondered why the little group of us were the only ones getting into this large literary club. Why was it a "banned book" in some areas? Why wasn't it on the 10th grade curriculum? Why didn't everyone else get to revel in the glory of Holden discovering the word "fuck" written on that wall? Hmmm... maybe that was why. When we came to that passage at the end of the story, Mr. Walchanowicz informed us that he thought we were mature enough to discuss it like adults. So we proceeded to have a conversation about what we had read without ever uttering the word aloud. Though, I presume, if we had, there would have been no recourse.

When my mother saw me reading the book at home one evening as homework, she said to me, "That's my favorite book. You'll have to let me read it again when you're finished." I didn't know what to say. I was not the kind of person who liked The Catcher in the Rye, but, as it turned out, my mother was. She never really told me why she loved the book so much, and I never asked. I only formed quiet mental pictures of her as a brooding, disillusioned teenager, and compared that to the woman she had become.

These are the little things I remember about The Catcher in the Rye and being 15 and high school. The book did not change my world, but it did give me a whole handful of little moments that did. These are the moments that make reading a joy and an adventure. Thank you, J.D. Salinger, for what you wrote, and what you gave so many of us in so many different ways.

#4 - The Lovely Bones

2010-01-27T23:45:00.003-05:00

The Lovely Bones
By: Alice Sebold
328 pages
Published: 2002
ISBN: 0316666343
My Copy: Mooched via PaperBackSwap

This book was the first pick of the year for my book club. Did I mention I have a book club? Well, I do. This is our third year of getting together. Right now, we have about 8 members and meet every 6 weeks on a Wednesday night at my house. That means we will be reading 8 titles total this year (each member picks one and then leads a discussion on it). It is a wonderful group of ladies and I really enjoy having everyone over to snack and discuss literature. In fact, I got the idea to read 100 books this year from one of the other book club members, Cassie. She did the same thing last year and I thought, "hey, I'd like to try that, too!"

We only read contemporary fiction, so selections have to be from that pool. Kelly picked The Lovely Bones, which was a timely choice because of the movie coming out. I really enjoyed the book. And I can see why it is very popular with book clubs - we had a very lively discussion! There's a lot going on in the novel, so it is great for a small group to chew over.

The novel centers on the rape and murder of 13-year old Susie Salmon. Susie narrates the entire book from heaven, where she watches and observes the lives of her family members, the people in her town, and her murderer. It raises a lot of questions about healing and forgiveness after tragedy. Without giving too much away, I loved the growth of the characters in the book and how the author takes a book about one thing (the rape and murder of a young child) and moves it away from being predictable or trite.

As I found out after reading the book, Alice Sebold was herself raped as a college freshman and so I'm sure a lot of her own experience of coming to terms with a horrific event has informed the book and, I think, given it authenticity and depth.

I would heartily recommend the book to other book clubs or to friends who want an interesting read.

My Rating: B+

PS - We are all going to see the movie together, so I'll post a review of that once we see it!

Harry Potter Reading Challenge

2010-01-23T22:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, this one is pretty straight-forward. Read all seven Harry Potter books!

1. Sorcerer’s Stone
2. Chamber of Secrets
3. Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Goblet of Fire
5. Order of the Phoenix
6. Half-Blood Prince
7. Deathly Hallows

The challenge will run from August 1, 2009 to July 31, 2010.

This is the only challenge I am worried about not finishing. I've read each of these books several times and I don't know if I can go through all of them yet again. I know I'll crack open some of them, but only time will tell if I can make it through Chamber of Secrets again!

Jane Austen Reading Challenge

2010-01-23T22:10:00.008-05:00

Ah, the reading challenge I was born to partake in! The rules and then some musings:

1. Anyone can participate.

2. Levels:

* Newbie 2 books by J. Austen and/or 2 re-writes, prequels, sequels, or spoofs (by other authors)
* Lover 4 books by J. Austen and/or 4 re-writes, prequels, sequels, or spoofs (by other authors)
* Fanatic 6+ books by J. Austen and/or 5+ re-writes, prequels, sequels, or spoofs (by other authors)

3. Challenge books can overlap with other challenges.

4. Any format counts: bound book, e-book, audio book, or any other thing you can think of.

5. Challenge runs January 1st 2010—December 31 2010.

If I'm being honest (which, naturally I am) I will have to read at the fanatic level. The problem won't be reading more Jane Austen, it will be finding the books to read. I've read every scrap Jane has ever written, and I quickly lost patience with all the sequels and spoofs. Perhaps some nice biographies of Jane? Maybe I will try this list:

1. Pride and Prejudice
2. Mansfield Park and Mummies
3. Becoming Jane Austen
4. Jane Austen's Charlotte: Her Fragment of a Last Novel
5. Selected Letters of Jane Austen (1796-1817)
6. Northanger Abbey

Two of those are re-reads (P&P and NA), but I doubt I would have made it through the year without putting them on anyway!

Here's what I actually did:

1. Gothic Classics: Graphic Classics Volume 14
2. Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laura Viera Rigler
3.
4.
5.
6.

Young Adult Reading Challenge

2010-01-23T21:55:00.010-05:00

Another challenge! Thanks again to J. Kaye's Book Blog! I love reading YA books, so this should be fun! I'll list all the books I've read so far in this post. Here are the rules:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

2. There are four levels:

* The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.
* Just My Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 25 Young Adult novels.
* Stepping It Up YA Reading Challenge – Read 50 Young Adult novels.
* Super Size Me YA Reading Challenge – Read 75 Young Adult novels.

3. Audio, eBooks, re-reads all count.

4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

5. Challenge begins January 1st through December, 2010.

I think I will be reading at the mini level, but I may be able to get close to the 25 required for Just My Size. We'll see.

My books are:

1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
2. Stargazer by Claudia Gray
3. I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It by Adam Selzer
4. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
5. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
6. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
7. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
8. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
9. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
10. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
11.
12.

100+ Reading Challenge

2010-01-23T21:45:00.001-05:00

I just signed up for J. Kaye's 100+ Reading Challenge and discovered that there are a whole lot of people trying to read 100 books or more this year (I was, like, number 646 to sign up. So yeah). Ah, solidarity. Now I just have to check out all their blogs (just kidding!).

I also like the rules a lot (I think I will adopt these as my new rules!):

1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join.

2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Manga, Graphic Novels, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts. What doesn't count: Individual short stories or individual books in the Bible.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Books started before the 1st do not count.

#3 - Style

2010-01-22T22:45:00.006-05:00

Style
By: Kate Spade
112 pages
Published: 2004
ISBN: 0743250672
My Copy: Borrowed from library.

There's not much to say about this book. It was okay. It didn't really help me hone or improve my style (which, I suppose, was my goal in reading it). There are some fun quotes inside and some interesting discussions, but overall it felt very much like I was reading a very elementary book about Kate Spade's style rather than something about how to create my own style.

The text is a mixture of lists, facts, and little snippets from Andy and Kate Spade. It appears to me that someone just interviewed Kate and her husband about "style" and then positioned quotes from her inside and slapped her name on the cover. The style tips are kind of half-hearted. There is a section on fashionable books and movies, a chapter all about colors, and information on caring for your clothes (which was helpful, but I'm not going to care for all my clothes at that high level, they're just not nice enough). Much of the information on care and cleaning could be found online or in other books. Lists of fabrics and patterns and their definitions have had better treatment in other books.

So, yeah, it was okay. I wouldn't say it was a waste of a few hours, but it didn't enlighten me either.

My Rating: C-

#2 - Stuff White People Like

2010-01-15T23:30:00.007-05:00

Stuff White People Like: A Definitive Guide to the Unique Taste of Millions
By: Christian Lander
224 pages
Published: 2008
ISBN: 0812979915
My Copy: Borrowed from friend.

Based on the website of the same name, this book is pretty funny. I had read many of these entries before on the site* (and you can too when you look in the archives), but the book has a couple of brand new entries and extras, like a chart telling me what I, as a white person, should name my child (I got Emily, which is pretty close to my actual daughter's name, Elizabeth, so well done, Christian Lander).

Throughout reading I fluctuated between thinking "Oh, yeah, white people are so pretentious! They do love organic food and film festivals!" to "Hey, wait... but I like writer's workshops and Arrested Development, and public radio. Does that mean I am a pretentious white person?" Yeah, it's kind of like that. In the end, according to the book I was 40% white, meaning I "liked" about 50 of the 150 total items listed. Of course (or so I told myself) who doesn't like stuff like The Simpsons and the Toyota Prius? But maybe that just something a boring white person like me would think!

The book is a fun joke read, be prepared to feel a little bit squirmy when going through it. I also kind of feel iffy about people take free content from a website and turning it into a book we are supposed to pay money to read. If you are already a fan of the site, there probably isn't any point buying this book (though I'd recommend borrowing it from the library if, for nothing else, the new content). If you aren't familiar with the concept, reading the website gives you pretty much the same experience, so you might be better off checking that out.

* I just looked over the site again. Re: entry #131: Now loving Conan makes me a pretentious white person? Ugg!

My Rating: B

#1: Gothic Classics: Graphic Classics Volume 14

2010-01-10T00:30:00.008-05:00

Gothic Classics: Graphic Classics Volume 14
Adapted from stories by: Ann Radcliffe, Jane Austen, Edgar Allan Poe, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, and Myla Jo Closser
144 pages
Published: 2007
ISBN: 0978791908
My Copy: I own it. Bought it online.

The first book of the year and it's... a graphic novel. And an adaptation of the works of others at that. Does this even count as a book? It fits within the rules, so I say yes, besides, this volume was too wonderful to pass up.

Being that I am a hopeless Janeite and that Northanger Abbey is my second favorite Jane Austen novel of all time, when I happened to read about Gothic Classics on my favorite Jane Austen fan site, Austenblog, I could not resist immediately visiting the publisher's website and buying a copy.

I was not disappointed. The book features adapted, comic versions of Carmilla, The Mysteries of Udolpho, The Oval Portrait, and Northanger Abbey, among others. Of course I loved the version of NA, but I also thought Carmilla was particularly eerie and well done. I am assuming the full-length story could only be better, so right now I'm on the look out for the full text of Le Fanu's vampire novella (which apparently predates Dracula by 25 years as far as vampire (I mean, vampyre) stories go).

I was also not familiar with Poe's The Oval Portrait, but this short piece is exceptionally well done, and the illustrations are perfect.

Any fellow Janeite would love this book as the Gothic tales will root you firmly in the world of the romantics and allow you to better understand the works Jane alludes to in Northanger Abbey.

If you, like me, bought Udolpho thinking you would make it through its 600+ pages, then the Gothic Classics version, though obviously not as satisfying as reading the entire novel, will tide you over for now.

Maybe this book will inspire me to go on a seventeenth century Gothic reading kick? I've been itching to read Dracula. Or The Monk. Or The Italian. Could more Gothic horrors be in store for me?

My Rating: A

Why Read 100 Books in One Year?

2010-01-03T01:30:00.000-05:00

Because I love to read.

I love books. I love collecting books. I love reading them and re-reading them. I love writing. I love learning to be a better writer through reading. I love learning new things from books. I love traveling someplace fantastic in my mind.

Books are both wonderful old friends and exciting new acquaintances. For most of my life, I've turned to books for comfort, companionship, and knowledge. I have a wonderful husband and daughter, but there are so many other things I've never seen or done or experienced. In books, I can see all this. When Catherine Moreland tells Henry Tilney that gazing upon Beechen Cliff in Bath always puts her in mind of the south of France, a place she had only read about in The Mysteries of Udolpho, I know exactly what she means. There are people and worlds we will never meet, yet books can take us there.

I also love being a reader. I want to be a better one. As it is now, I read a fair share. Last year, I may have read 30 or 40 books. This year I know I can do better. I want to do better. After all, if the former president of the United States can do it (and I'm not entirely sure I believe he did, the position seems like it would leave very little free time for reading), then anyone can.

Other folks have done it before me. This nice lady for one. And others.

I love to read. Do you? Then join me.

The Rules

2010-01-01T23:00:00.000-05:00

* Books can be fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, or collections of short stories in any genre.

* Books must be at least 100 pages long.

* Can re-read books I have already read (I don't know that I could make it a whole year without cracking open Pride and Prejudice or a Harry Potter book).

I can better define any other things that come up as we go along.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T22:30:00.000-05:00

And so the year begins. Time to start reading.